Calm Teas

Herb record · Lamiaceae (mint family)

Lavender tea: what the evidence says

Reviewed

Lavender tea has been tested in three small trials that all compared it with no drink at all. The strongest anxiety evidence is for a lavender-oil capsule, which is a different product.

Purple spikes of lavender flowers
Photo: Валерія Матвєєва, Wikimedia Commons, CC0. Cropped to 3:2, resized and converted to WebP.

At a glance

Latin name
Lavandula angustifolia
Evidence
Tested as tea At least one controlled human trial gave this herb as a tea.
EU tea amount
1–2 g in 150 ml boiling water, 3 times daily. For mild symptoms of mental stress and exhaustion and to aid sleep (traditional use).
Cautions
Sedating: avoid with alcohol or sedativesPregnancy safety not established
In our index
10 teas

What did the studies actually test?

Each row says what form was given. Results from extracts or capsules don't automatically apply to a cup of tea, which usually contains a smaller and less standardized amount.

QuestionForm testedWhat was found
Anxiety & mood tea Three small trials (60–80 people each) gave lavender tea for two weeks to older adults, postnatal women or people with misophonia. Anxiety, depression or fatigue scores improved more than with no intervention. None used a placebo drink. (Bazrafshan et al., 2020)(Chen & Chen, 2015)(Koroglu & Durat, 2026)
Anxiety oil capsule A network meta-analysis found a lavender-oil capsule (Silexan) reduced anxiety scores. That evidence is about a standardized oil, not tea. (Zhang et al., 2022)(NCCIH fact sheet)

How much lavender goes in a cup?

The European Medicines Agency's herbal committee lists 1–2 g of dried lavender in 150 ml boiling water, 3 times daily, for mild symptoms of mental stress and exhaustion and to aid sleep (traditional use). (EU herbal monograph)

These figures come from long-standing use, not from trials proving a dose works. Most tea boxes in our index don't say how much lavender is in each bag, so you usually can't compare a bag with this amount.

Who should be careful with lavender?

  • Sedating: avoid with alcohol or sedatives. There are theoretical reasons it might add to the effects of sedative drugs or herbs; mention it before surgery. (NCCIH fact sheet)
  • Pregnancy safety not established. Little is known about safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. (NCCIH fact sheet)

This list repeats what the cited sources say; it isn't a complete interaction check. A pharmacist can check your specific medicines.

Which calming teas contain lavender?

Sources

  1. Bazrafshan et al. (2020). The effect of lavender herbal tea on the anxiety and depression of the elderly: A randomized clinical trial. Complement Ther Med.
    Human trial (randomized, single-blind, no placebo) · form: tea
    60 older adults in Iran drank a 2 g lavender tea bag twice daily for 2 weeks or had no intervention. The tea group ended with lower depression and anxiety scores.
    Limits: No placebo drink; single-blind; small; two weeks.
    checked against the abstract, 2026-10-21 · PMID 32444033
  2. Chen & Chen (2015). Effects of Lavender Tea on Fatigue, Depression, and Maternal-Infant Attachment in Sleep-Disturbed Postnatal Women. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs.
    Human trial (controlled, no placebo) · form: tea
    80 postnatal women in Taiwan with poor sleep drank one cup of lavender tea daily for 2 weeks or received usual care. The tea group reported less fatigue and depression.
    Limits: Systematic (not fully random) assignment; no placebo; short.
    checked against the abstract, 2026-10-21 · PMID 26523950
  3. Koroglu & Durat (2026). The effect of lavender herbal tea on the mental health of individuals with misophonia: A randomized controlled trial. J Psychiatr Res.
    Human trial (randomized, single-blind, no-intervention control) · form: tea
    60 adults with misophonia drank 2 g lavender tea twice daily for 14 days or had no intervention. Anxiety, depression and anger scores improved more in the tea group.
    Limits: No placebo; specific population; the abstract's own wording is cautious.
    checked against the abstract, 2026-10-21 · PMID 41579454
  4. Zhang et al. (2022). Medicinal herbs for the treatment of anxiety: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Pharmacol Res.
    Systematic review + network meta-analysis · form: extract
    29 trials comparing 12 herbs for anxiety. A lavender-oil capsule (Silexan) and kava showed significant effects on anxiety scores; kava was possibly ineffective in generalized anxiety disorder.
    Limits: Capsules and extracts, not teas; several herbs had few, small trials.
    checked against the abstract, 2026-10-21 · PMID 35378276
  5. NCCIH (NIH). Lavender, updated February 2025.
    Government fact sheet
    An oral lavender oil product might help anxiety. Small preliminary reports suggest lavender capsules or tea might reduce depression symptoms. Likely safe in food amounts; theoretical interaction with sedatives. Little is known about pregnancy and breastfeeding.
    checked against the official page, 2026-10-21
  6. European Medicines Agency, HMPC. Community herbal monograph on Lavandula angustifolia Miller, flos (EMA/HMPC/734125/2010).
    Regulatory monograph
    Traditional use for mild symptoms of mental stress and exhaustion and to aid sleep. Tea: 1–2 g in 150 ml boiling water, 3 times daily. Not recommended under 12 or in pregnancy/lactation for lack of data.
    checked against the official document, 2026-10-21